Lever type lock



F. CHARTRAND 3,476,425

LEVER TYPE LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 Nov. 4, 1969 Flled Feb b, 1968 INVENTOR Fernand CHARTRAND ATTORNEY Nov 4 Filed Feb, b 1968 F' CHARTRAND LEVER TYPE LOCK 2 Sheets-.Sheet E INVENTOR Fernand CHAR-[RAND United States Patent O 3,476,425 LEVER TYPE LOCK Fernand Chartrand, Laval, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Ridge Nassau Corporation, Laval (Chomedey), Quebec, Canada Filed Feb. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 703,471 Int. Cl. Ec 19/14 U.S. Cl. 292-113 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lever lock employing the over-center cam principle and formed as one integral unit which, with or without a lock-support plate, is adapted to be attached to or detached from an up-and downwardly acting door or closure via a pivot projecting from the support plate or alternatively from the door.

This invention relates to a heavy duty lever type lock for up-and downwardly acting doors and closures and relates more in particular to a lock which pulls down the door to the threshold by the over-center cam principle.

Locks for these kind of doors or closures are known in the art, however, very few are constructed such that they provide maximum locking efficiency at minimum manufacturing and maintenance costs. Another disadvantage quite frequently encountered with these conventional locks is that either the locking mechanism of these locks are so complicated and employ so many parts and components that easy maintenance or repair is impossible or is too costly or that they form safety hazards in the sense that upon opening of the door or closure, they just hang in the opening from which arises the chance that with loading and unloading, the operator may bang his head against these locks.

A structural disadvantage of conventional lever type locks which pull the door or closure down to the threshold by the over-center cam principle is that they require a base-plate via which the lock itself is fastened to the door or closure; this for reasons that these locks are usually constructed in such a way that for manipulation to and from locking position, they employ spring means which are fxedly secured to the base plate and, in turn, to which spring means the housing for the locking assembly is rigidly attached.

It therefore is an object of the present invention to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a lock means for slidable doors, closures or the like which is relatively simple in construction and which is easily manipulated to and from locking position thereby maintaining maximum locking efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock means having a lock dog which cannot break out the threshold or hang in the opening when the door is in open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock means which through its construction can easily be attached to or detached from a door with or without employing a base plate and which through its construction and removability further reduces possible safety hazards to a minimum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a lock for slidable doors or closures which is adapted to be locked in closed position and can accommodate a seal or padlock.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description to follow.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l shows an upwardly acting door structure with a lock assembly according to the invention;

l CC

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the locking assembly according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view with the lock member in released position; and

FIGURE 4 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 3, however, with the lock member in locking position.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated as embodied in an up-and downwardly acting door of the sectional type in which 1 represents a door frame, 2 the still and 3 and 4 sections of the door, 4 being the bottom section of the door and engaging the sill with its bottom edge. The locking assembly according to the invention, indicated generally at 5, is seen to comprise a base member 6 which is rigidly secured to the section 4 by conventional fasteners 7.

Projecting from this base member 6 is a pivot 8 on which a housing 9 is lpivotally mounted and secured thereto by a nut 10. The housing 9 is formed with a laterally opening recess 11 for receiving a handle 12. As can be seen-from the drawings, the housing 9 has a substantially quadrilateral configuration and the recess formed in the side wall of the housing curves around an angle of substantially l degrees at the same side as the handle. Connected to this handle 12 inside the housing 9 is a keeper-engaging member 13 which via a slot 14 provided in the sill 2 engages .and disengages a keeper 15 upon manual actuation of the handle. The keeper 15 is in the form of a rod and is disposed transversely underneath the recess 14. The keeper-engaging member 13 has an upwardly facing :recess 13' therein which, in effect, is in interlocking engagement with the keeper when the lock assembly is in keeper-engaging position as shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 4. Pivotally connected to the base member 6 is a conventional latch 16 actuated by a spring 17. The handle is provided with a shoulder 18 with which this latch automatically engages when the handle is swung to locking or keeper-engaging position.

Projecting downwardly from the handle is a locking bracket 19 positioned in side by side relation to a stop 20 disposed in downward and adjacent relation to the latch 16, and by which the handle is engaged when same is in locking or keeper-engaging position; the bracket and stop having aligned openings therein adapted to receive a padlock or seal, not shown in the drawings. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the handle 12 is pivotally connected to the keeper-engaging member 13 by means of a bolt member 21. This bolt member is threaded at its lower end to which end the keeper-engaging member 13 my means of a bolt member 21. This bolt member is threaded at its lower end to which end the keeperengaging member is adjustably connected by means of a nut 22 for raising or lowering the keeper-engaging member on the bolt member so as to at all times secure tight embracing of said keeper-engaging member with the keeper. The handle 12 is pivotally connected to the housing by means of a pivot 23. In the embodiment illustrated, the pivot 23 of the handle 12 is disposed radially relative to the pivot 24 pivotally coinecting the handle 12 with the bolt member 21. Disposed along one side of the housing interior and integral therewith is a counter-weigth 25 which at its lower end admits the housing pivot y8 and which at its uppermost end is provided with a handle retracting stop 26. The handle after being manually released from the latch 16 is yieldingly urged against the stop 26 by a coil spring 27, having its one end 28 engaged in the inner end of a hook-in recess 28 provided in the upper part of the counterweight and its other end 29 engaged. in the inner end of a hook-in recess 29' provided in the handle. It will be understood that with this particular arrangement of the counter-weight 25 being disposed along one side of the housing and the pivot 8 located in the lower end thereof, the keeper-engaging member 13, upon keeper disengaging action of the handle and the coil spring 27, will disengage the keeper whereupon the lock assembly will automatically be swung to its retracted position.

Disposed substantially opposite the counter-weight 25 at the other side of the housing interior and integral therewith is an insert 30 the upper part 31 of which acts as a seat to be engaged by the handle when same is actuated to locking or keeper-engaging position, and the lower part 32 of Which acts as a guiding means for the bolt member 21 in its up-and downward movement for keeper-engaging and disengaging action; this lower part section 32 being adjacent the lower part section 33 of the counter-weight but in spaced relation thereto and forming a second recess therewith for admitting the bolt member 21. As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the pivot 23 of the handle 12 is disposed radially relative to the seat 30 and the retracting stop 26.

After having released the handle from the latch, the handle by means of the coil spring 27 is swung upwardly in counterclockwise direction towards the retracting stop on the uppermost end of the counter-weight against which it is yielding urged thereby releasing the keeper-engaging member from the keeper. Through the impact of the handle forcefully hitting the upper part of the counterweight and through the off-balance position of the housing pivot in the lower part of the counter-weight, the entire assembly is automatically swung counter-clockwise towards its outermost retracting position in which position the assembly rests on an abuttment 31 projecting from the base member 9.

For bringing the assembly in keeper-engaging or locking position, the handle is lifted and swung in a clockwise direction thereby tensioning the coil spring 25 through which the assembly follows the radial movement of the handle till the member 21 is stopped by the keeper 15. The handle continues its lateral movement till it engages the seat l30 at which point the handle sitting on said seat and pivoting on pivot 23 lifts the keeper-engaging member 13 thereby bringing same in embracing contact with the keeper upon which the handle engages the stop and'is automatically engaged by the latch 16.

From this it can be seen that one of the objects attained is the ease and rapidity of operation. As can be clearly appreciated from FIGURES 3 and 4, the locking assembly according to the invention is a unitary assembly in that the housing 9 comprises all the essential components and parts, and which assembly can be completely disconnected from the base member or the door. In effect, with the present lock assembly, it is not at all necessary to employ a base member for reasons that the housing pivot could be suitably connected directly unto the lower section of a downwardly acting door or closure.

I claim:

1. In a door lock assembly for locking a door against a sill, the combination comprising:

(a) a keeper at the bottom side of said sill;

(b) a keeper-engaging member;

(c) a pivot projecting from said door;

(d) a housing rotatably mounted on said pivot; said housing having a handle receiving recess therein and a second recess for admitting said keeper-engaging member;

(e) a laterally projecting handle pivotally connected to said keeper-engaging member within said housing for keeper-engaging and disengaging action upon actuating and retracting leverage of said handle;

(f) balancing means disposed on one side of said housing and acting to automatically swing said assembly to its retracted position upon retracting leverage of said handle; said pivot being received by said housing at the same side as said balancing means;

(g) a seat disposed within said housing in radially spaced relationship with said balancing means and said handle receiving recess and to be engaged by said handle when same is manually actuated to locking position;

(h) a retracting stop disposed at the upper end of said balancing means for engaging said handle upon retracting leverage of same;

(i) swivel means for connecting said handle to said housing;

(j) a stop for said housing disposed at the lower end of said door for engaging and stopping said housing after same is swung to its retracted position;

(k) a stop member projecting from said door for stopping said handle when same is actuated to locking position;

(l) lock means projecting from said door for locking said handle when same is in locking position.

2. In a door lock assembly for locking a door against a sill, said assembly including a pivot ixedly secured to the bottom side of said door, a keeper at the bottom side of said sill, a keeper-engaging member for engaging and disengaging said keeper upon radial actuating and retracting leverage of a laterally projecting handle pivotally connected to said keeper-engaging member, means for locking said handle when same is manually shifted to locking or keeper-engaging position, the unitary assembly comprising:

(a) a housing rotatably mounted on said pivot; said housing having a handle receiving recess therein opening at its edge substantially at the same side as said handle and a second recess opening at its lower end for receiving said keeper-engaging member;

(b) balancing means disposed along one side of said housing substantially opposite said recess with at its lower end admitting said pivot; said balancing means acting to automatically swing said assembly to its retracted position upon retracting leverage of said handle;

(c) a seat positioned within said housing opposite said balancing means and underneath said handle receiving recess and to be engaged by said handle when same is manually actuated to locking position;

(d) a retracting stop provided at the uppermost end of said balancing means for engaging said handle upon radical retracting leverage of same;

(e) swivel means arranged within said housing in radially spaced relation to said stop and said seat and pivotally connecting said handle to said housing;

(f) resilient means connected to said handle and to said balancing means and acting to yielding urge said handle against said retracting stop whereby said keeper-engaging member is disengaged from said keeper;

(g) a resting stop for said housing projecting from said door at the lower end thereof and positioned to engage and to stop said housing after same is swung counter-clockwise to its outer-most retracted position;

(h) a stop member projecting from said door for engaging and stopping said handle when said handle is manually actuated to keeper-engaging position.

3. In a door lock assembly for locking a door against a sill, said assembly including a base member ixedly secured to said door, a pivot projecting from said base member, a keeper at the bottom side of said sill, a keeperengaging member for engaging and disengaging said keeper upon radial actuating and retracting leverage of a laterally projecting handle pivotally connected t0 said keeper-engaging member, means for locking said handle when same is manually shifted to locking or keeperengaging position, the unitary assembly comprising:

(a) a housing rotatably mounted on said pivot; said housing having a handle receiving recess therein opening at its edge substantially at the same side as said handle and a second recess opening at its lower end for receiving said keeper-engaging member;

(b) balancing means disposed along one side of said housing substantially opposite and recess; said balancing means acting to automatically swing said assembly to its retracted position u-pon retracting leverage of said handle;

(c) a seat positioned within said housing opposite said balancing means and underneath said handle receiving recess and to be engaged by said handle when same is manually actated to locking position;

(d) a retracting stop provided at the uppermost end of said balancing means for engaging said handle upon radial retracting leverage of same;

(e) swivel means arranged within said housing in radially spaced relation to said stop and said seat and pivotally connecting said handle to said houslng;

(f) resilient means connected to said handle and to said balancing means and acting to yieldingly urge said handle against said retracting stop whereby said keeper-engaging member is disengaged from said keeper;

(g) a resting stop for said housing projecting from said base member at the lower end thereof and positioned to engage and to stop said housing after same is swung counter-clockwise to its outermost retracted position;

(h) a stop member projecting from said base member for engaging and stopping said handle when same is manually actuated to keeper-engaging position.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein guiding means are disposed opposite said balancing means and underneath said seat and positioned to be engaged by said keeper-engaging member under actuation of said handle.

5. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second recess is adjacent said housing pivot in the lower end of said balancing means.

6. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second recess is formed by said balancing means and said guiding means.

7. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said guiding means forms an integral part with said seat.

8. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said balancing means is a counter-weight.

9. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said resilient means is a coil spring.

10.,An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said coil spring is received within hook-in recesses provided in said counter-weight and said handle.

11. `An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said handle is connected to said keeper-engaging member by means of a bolt member.

v11. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said handle is connected to said keeper-engaging member by means of a bolt member.

12. An assembly according to claim 11, wherein said keeper-engaging member is adjustable on said bolt member.

a 13. A An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said keeper-engaging member is provided with an upwardly `facing recess for interlocking engagement with said keeper when the assembly is in actuating position.

14. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said resting stop for said housing is in the form of an abutment disposed transversely at the lower edge of said base member.

15.An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said housing is of a substantially quadrilateral coniiguration.

1,6. An assembly according to claim 3, `wherein said handle receiving recess extends over an angle of substantially degrees.

References Cited UNITED STATT S PATENTS 2,966,706 1/1961 Christensen 292--113 X 3,108,833 10/1963 Christensen et al. 292--113 3,352,585 11/1967 Crosswell et al. 292--113 X DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner J. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 292-100, 101 

